


Corrosive Substances and Chemical Burns

by deathgurgle



Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: M/M, chemical burns
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-15
Updated: 2014-11-15
Packaged: 2018-02-25 08:02:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2614361
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deathgurgle/pseuds/deathgurgle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Newton tries something involving a corrosive agent from his latest Kaiju samples and it doesn't react quite how he expects. Luckily Hermann is there to help mend his chemically burned torso.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Corrosive Substances and Chemical Burns

**Author's Note:**

> So stalkingyermom on tumblr made a post and I made it happen; http://stalkingyermom.tumblr.com/post/102582749264  
> I didn't mean for it to come out this sad though? I mean I could have made it sadder, but nah.  
> Beta, as usual for my pac rim fics, by all-hail-jeremy-brett on tumblr

"Trial number five with corrosive Kaiju excretions," Newton spoke casually into his tape recorder, sticking it in the breast pocket of his shirt before pulling on a pair of rubber gloves, "I'm adding a one-to-one ratio of lye to try and neutralize the acidity, but I'm not sure if we have a base strong enough to temper this. Kaiju organs and Kaiju Blue, definitely, but uh... yeah alright here goes."

Hermann glanced over at the man behind him and raised a single brow. Nothing had worked in trying to calm the substance, and after four previous attempts with Milk of Magnesia that did practically nothing, he was sure Newt would be deterred and come to the conclusion that it wasn't currently possible. He shook his head, rolled his eyes, and turned back to his chalkboard to continue writing.

"Huh, that's cool. Didn't expect that. Lye, pH 14, seems to agitate the— shit! _Shit_ , Christ, oh my God!"

Hermann's head whipped around at the profanity and he gasped. Newt was splattered across his torso with the corrosive excretion from the latest Kaiju samples that were given for experimentation and research. Without even grabbing for his cane, Hermann hobbled over frantically and started tearing at the buttons of Newt's shirt as he stood frozen in place.

"You need to get under the chemical shower immediately before you sustain permanent damage," he spoke in a rush of words, flinging the soiled shirt onto the floor haphazardly.

"Holy fu— _Jesus_ , this is starting to hurt—"

"No, do not speak, let's get you started cleaning as quickly as possible," Hermann cut him off, taking him by his elbow and practically dragging him toward the chemical shower. He yanked on the dangling chain and water gushed out and onto Newt's body.

"That is freezing oh my God, why does it have to be so damn cold?!"

"Shut _up_ and just— wash yourself, please, it's already had contact with your skin for too long. _Any_ amount of time is too long with this substance. Get your ruddy jeans off already; you have to completely strip. The last thing you need is for you to have got some on your trousers and have a hole burn into your thigh-"

"Okay _okay_ , dude, jeez, calm down. Even I'm not freaking out as much," it was Newton's turn to interrupt with a reply as he scrubbed at his bare chest with his hands, then he set to peeling off his trousers after slipping his boots off. He stared bashfully at the drain as he reached for his boxers. "Uh, you don't... you don't have to watch me, man. It's kinda, haha, weird, uh..."

Hermann turned a particularly dark shade of red, his hand coming up to cover his mouth. He nodded and turned his back, leaving Newt to his own devices. And he scrubbed almost viciously at himself, getting any of the acidic gook off of his skin. Hermann dared a peek and saw the biologist turned away from him, and it wasn't his fault that his gaze slid over the man's entire body —even his rear, which had not fallen prey to the accident —he was simply checking for damage that he could have missed.

"Dude, hello? Quit checking me out."

Startled, Hermann blinked and turned away, ears scorching.

"Hey, uh wait, can you take a look at these real quick though? I really don't feel like going to medical right now but this hurts worse than anything, like ever, so until I do can we uh..."

Hermann once again faced him and winced. Angry red burns made slashes across Newton's chest and stomach, standing out violently even against his vibrantly inked skin. Tears stung his eyes and a tentative hand reached out, but Newt automatically flinched back from his touch. Hermann recoiled, his hand instead covering his mouth to muffle a small sob.

"No, hey no wait. No don't do that," Newton hushed, hands held up toward him, and he smiled.

"I'll get our gauze and tape and soothing cream," Hermann practically whispered, and he turned and stalked off lamely in search of their first aid kit. The second he obtained the box, he ushered Newton to sit in a chair and pulled up his own closely in front of him. Fumbling, Hermann insisted he wear the medical blanket around his waist, and he thrust it at him while he slathered some of the salve onto a gauze pad.

"This is gonna hurt like a bitch, isn't it?" he asked disdainfully, situating himself in his seat and tucking the blanket under his legs. Hermann gave him a weary look.

"I'm afraid so. Do not move."

As gently as he could, he pressed the cool, gooey pad to one of the smaller burns. Newt's hands clutched the arms of the chair tightly and he whimpered, teeth clenched. It worsened when Hermann pressed the pad to flatten it and tape it down. Once Newt calmed down enough, he prompted for the other to continue. And Hermann spread the cream over a section of a roll and placed it over a long burn that stretched from his left collarbone to his right hip, wrapping it around his back and back to the front several times, finally taping it at the top of his shoulder. He waited several minutes until he continued, allowing Newt's body to tremble from pain and his crying. And Hermann thumbed his tears away and whispered sweet words to him as he finished up, adding three more gauze pads to his ribs, sternum, and stomach.

"I am aware of what you said earlier, but I must insist that you report to the medical bay immediately. You do not quite know how this material works and your burns will certainly want better medical attention than some cooling salve and unprofessional bandaging," Hermann said, words quiet and solemn, but they held a stern tone that would hopefully convince Newton to take his word and go.

"Not yet. Please, God, please don't make me get up just yet," Newton replied, voice barely audible and cracking, and Hermann could feel tears in his own eyes again.

"We can wait until you are fit to walk. I will bring you."

"Thank— thank you, Herms. Christ, I love you so much, man."

Hermann's hand covered Newt's, and he smiled sympathetically at him. Leaning forward, he pressed a chaste kiss to the corner of his mouth. And at that moment, it was enough for him.


End file.
